A Gift of Hope in Rural Albania

08 April 2009

TAPIA, Albania— The old houses and the bad roads tell the story of this village. The region is poor and unemployment is a problem, especially since the closing of its factories and military base. The only opportunity for rural families is to work on their small plots of land.

Llazar Ziu and his wife Marie received a cow from Heifer Albania in September 2007. “We had an old cow,” Llazar said, of their life before Heifer came. “It died in August. It was old, and when Heifer came to our village we had been crying over our bad luck. It was Heifer Albania and the community that helped us, and today we have a great cow that gives 30 liters [8 gallons] of milk.”

“I love Ola [the cow], and she loves us,” said Marie Ziu. “She brought hope to us and our children, as it is the only way to afford education for our younger girl, who’s now going to university.”

A recent Passing on the Gift ceremony in Tapia brought this same hope to others in the village. Families gathered on the village soccer field. Nine cows, all decorated with flowers and ribbons, were passed on to needy farmers in the community. Local officials were on on to praise Heifer’s approach in the fight against rural poverty.

“Heifer is making a difference in our community,” project member Teki Plaku said. “Soon we will have two cows, one in my family and another one in my friend's home. This is a gift that helps each family, and goes on.”